Draft appliance for locomotive smoke boxes



2 1,493,488 W. C. HOLLAND DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR LOCOMOTIVE SMOKE BOXES File y 18. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 filly 1 May 13, 1924. 1,493,488 4 w. c. HOLLAND DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR LOCOMOTIVE SMOKE BOXES Filed May 1a. 1923 2 sheet -sheet 2 I rwznl'ov.

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Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITEDTSTA'TES PATENT OF ICE; i

WI LIAM c. gonna, or rosoomnrafnrnnama.

DRAFT APPLIANCE ron'tocoiaorrvn snoxn Boxns; 1 1

Application filed my 18, 1923. "Serial seesaw,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. HoLLANo, a citizen of the 'United States of America, residing at Tuscumbia, in the county of Colbert and State of Alabama, have'invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Draft Appliances for Locomotive isa draft throughout the boiler tubes'and' firebox, and that there is a more accurate and effective control'of the draftin the smoke box to the end that: the exhaust nozzle tip may be opened to the maximum desired extent, without unduly intensifyingthe draft, thereby to reduce back pressure infthe cylinders to a minimum, and to obtain'a more efiicient steaming action from the-locomotive and a lower fuel consumption.

One distinctive feature of my invention consists in the provision in the bottom 'of the smoke box ofan upwardly and forwardly inclined baflle which at itsv upper edge leaves a relatively small clearancebetween it and the forward edge of'the table plate, thus providing a relatively narrow' draft opening extending; transversely the.

width of the smoke box nearly'in line-with the lower large flues. The purpose of-this is to raise the direct line of the draft and hence increase the direct flow of the gases through the center tubes of the boiler, where there is greatest need for-same, due both to the presence of the superheater tubes there and to the use of larger flues at the center.

My invention-also contemplates the'proe vision of an adjustable bafiie underhung from the .forward edgeof the table plate to afford the requisite draft regulation at this point.'

Another feature of my invention consists in elongating the barrelof. the Petticoat to bring it close to the top of the smoke box elongation of the flare of the petticoat so as to provide it with a relatively narrow 1ntake opening extending substantlally the full distance between the steam pipes at the the flare. of the ,ordinary' vpetticoat.

sides ofthe smoke box, said openingbeing disposed at a level much closer to the table platethan'is at present thegeneral practice. J

This arrangement results-in a more eflt'ective distribution laterally 'ofthe draft and avoids the quick concentration of the prodnets. of combustion at the center to enter To compensate for the reduced overhead draft opening I increase the diameterof the petticoat barrel, thus giving it the capacity to collect throughits flare transversely of the smoke box and substantially uniformly, the

gases ;flowing in .a narrowed transverse itram between the table plate and lower a e. Y V

- 'Myinvention also contemplates the provision at'thelower forward edge of the petticoat flare of an adjusting draft platewhich Myinvention also comprises the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings whichform a part of this specifica-.

tion, and in which Fig. 1 is avertical longitudinal cross-sec tion through a typical locomotive smoke box equipped with my inproved draft appliancesa F1g. 2 1s a transverse cross-sect1onal view taken, through the smoke boxon the line mounted smaller tubes 3 which surround the larger central tubes 4., The superheater superheaterheader downwardly to the table 1 plate8,;cwhich extends forwardly and horizontally therefrom and terminates in a short downwardly inclined flange 9. An inclined bafile sheet 10 leads upwardly and forwardly from the bottom ofthe' smoke box near the flue sheet 2 toa point below and slightly in front of the flange 9, there being an elon gated draft opening thus provided between the baffle and table plate which stands .nearly in line with the lower of the'large I an "80 inch smoke box.

tubesd. The steam exhaustj stand 11 passes up through the table" plate in "the customary manner and discharges the exhaust steam into the petticoat flare 12 which-merges into the cylindrical petticoat barrel13 provided with the usual hangers14 to which the hanger straps 15 are attached. It will be observed that the upper end of ithe barrel 13 rises to a point close to the smoke stack saddle 16. In-practice I have successfully used a clearance of about 2% inches between the top of the barrel 'an'd the -top 'center' of The petticoat flare is deeper than that customarily u's'ed, *extending in sucha-smoke box- 14.- inches'bemately to the width of the table plate. The

forward-edge of the petticoat flare hasadjustably attached thereto a draft regulating plate 18 adapted tocontrol the draft at this point," and the'table plate flange 9 has adjustably attached thereto adraft regulating plate 19 to control the draft through'opening 20, netting 21 and the superheater damper 22.

' In the practice of my invention, the outlet of'the exhaust tip '11 is enlarged 'sufliciently to avoid the creation of any objectionable back pressure in the cylinders. Thelong narrow draftopening 20, formed between the baflie 10 and table plate flange9, effects a very desirable transverse distribution of the draft and the elongated pettico'at takes this widely distributed draft and collects and carries it up to the-smoke stack in the most desirable manner, leaving no accumulation of cinders or foreign matter in the smoke box. The "smoke box is equipped with the usual standard netting 21.

Having mounted the draft appliances in the manner described, and adjusted the two draft plates 18 and 19 to meet the operating conditions in the case at hand, the operation of my invention results'in a lifting of the level of the draft nearer into line with the large center fl-ues, thus bringing the products of combustion in greatest volumemore directlythrough the center of the boiler and producing a much more eflicient steaming action than is at present obtainable and a much better-draft action. on the fire bed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A locomotive smoke boxhaving a table plate and-an upwardly and forwardly inclinedibaifling draft sheet leading from the bottom "of the smokeiboxand extending transversely thereof and terminating -in spaced relationship with the front end of thetableplate toform therewith a raised, relatively narrow. laterally elongated draft opening.

2. *A'locomotive smoke box according to claim 1, havinga tube sheet with its largest tube openings disposed. in its central. position,-said draft opening being raised into line with the lower of'said largest tube openings. Y '3. A locomotive smoke box according to claim 1, in which'adraft regulating-damper plate 'is -adjustably mounted for movement acrdsssaid draft opening.

4. A-' locomotive smoke box having a table plate, -a lower baffle associated with said plate to form a narrow wide draft opening, and" a, petticoat' having its flare narrowed and laterally elongatedto correspond substantially with the width of the table plate.

5. A locomotive smoke box having a table plate, and a petticoat' having its flare narrowed and elongated to correspond substantiallywith the transverse width of the table plate anddisposed'to extend substantially from side to' side of the smokebox.

6. A'locomotive smoke box according :to claim "5, inwhich the petticoat barrel is enlarged and extended upwardly into close juxtaposition to the top of the smoke box.

'7. A locomotive smoke box according to claim 5, in which the bottom inlet end of the flare is lowered into relatively close juxtaposition to the table plate.

8. A locomotive smoke box according to claim 5, in-which the" draft opening between the forward edge of'the flare and the table plate is controlled by an adjustable damper. Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM C. HOLLAND. Witness:

NoMIE' WELSH. 

